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Saturday, May 30, 2015

This is the third year we have been able to go to the Walk With Angels, with a Signing Time concert. This year, Kylene, Tobyn, and {R} were nice enough to come with us. The girls and I got there first, staked out a spot for our chairs and blanket, and then went right to the bounce houses to play.

A highlight for Lynnie was finding some of the characters. We found the Chick-fil-a cow, and...

...Elsa, and...

...Merida.

Then we found Ky and Tobyn and headed back to the bounce houses. Tobyn helped Lynnie be brave and took her up and down a few times.

Ellie mastered the jump, bounce, and fly technique.

Next up was some face painting. How cool to get Elsa swirls, painted by Elsa herself!

{R} caught up to us while we were at the face painting, and Cece played with her a little bit.

Carnival games were also a hit, especially since we skipped the "walk" part of the Walk with Angels. We were pretty much the only ones there since most people were lining up for the walk.

Prizes!

Ellie even convinced Lynnie to try Sumo wrestling.

Lynnie couldn't move the costume, so nice Tobyn lifted her into the ring.

We walked back over to our spot to get our lunch and get ready for the concert.

It took a long time to read off the raffle winners, so we jumped at the chance to meet Rachel for a minute. Ellie and Lynnie excitedly told Rachel that Cece loves to watch Baby Signing Time and will sign "baby time." Rachel said that's pretty normal. And Cece just seemed confused to see Rachel in real life.

The last thing before the concert started was throwing out stuffed animal prizes. Ellie got one last year, and Lynnie convinced Tobyn to take her over to try for one this year. I was just telling Ky and {R} that I hoped he didn't get one, because Ellie's is big and bulky and there is no good place to store it, plus she doesn't really use it, when -- lo and behold -- Tobyn caught one. Lynnie was over the moon excited that now she has one, too.

And then, finally, it was time for the Signing Time concert! I get way more excited about this than the girls do.

Ellie stayed up front for about half of the concert, singing and signing along.

Cece finally gave in and fell asleep about halfway through.

Ellie did a good job of getting a picture with Cece sleeping, and Rachel in the background.

The only disappointment this year was that Ellie did not get on stage. She got picked last year, and the year before. Oh, well! It was still a very fun day.

Friday, May 29, 2015

We had a fun playdate planned with Elizabeth, Davis, and Callie. We met them at the aquarium, and got to run in the pouring rain to get inside. It was awesome! We beat them by a few minutes, and the girls happily pretended to dance at a wedding.

This was our attempt at a group photo.

After we had shown them our favorite spots (it was their first time at the new location), I told Elizabeth we liked to spend at least an hour at the indoor playground. She was skeptical but willing to try it out. We totally stayed for more than an hour.

Cece was really brave and tried to make friends with this little boy. He wasn't interested, but I was proud of her for trying!

Look, Mom, I can climb!

Until my shoe gets caught. Uh oh!

After playing for so long, we decided it was time to go home. We went past the rope bridge on the way downstairs, and Ellie and Davis loved it so much they did it a few times.

On Wednesday, we got to go pay for our swim lessons for the summer. Ellie had field day and didn't need to go to school until the afternoon kindergarten time. I didn't know how long it would take to pay, so I prepared Ellie by saying we would probably come back home but she might need to go straight to school. Paying for lessons took all of 5 minutes, and then the girls wanted to do something fun instead of going home. So we went to Bandwagon Park, where Lynnie was supposed to have had her preschool graduation (that was cancelled due to the weather). And, we randomly ran into Uncle Daniel and his HIVEs group. That was so lucky!

After talking for a few minutes, they left and we got busy playing.

Cece tried so hard to copy Ellie.

Cece, you need to move out of Ellie's way!

We needed a potty break, and then played on the stage. Lynnie performed her preschool graduation program for us. Ellie photobombed.

We had so much fun that we barely got Ellie to school on time, and then Lynnie, Cece, and I headed to Costco. Smoothies always taste better when you share.

Now that Lynnie is ready for a wood violin, she gets to inherit Ellie's violin, and we headed to the violin store to get a new violin for Ellie. It was fun, and you can read all about it here.

Cece is such a cute mimic. She was pretty proud of herself for standing on Lynnie's footchart and waving her arm for Tuka Tuka.

This is officially my violin!

After we got home from lessons, it was time to unwrap the box violin.

Ellie's schedule has been busy and fun these last few days. Kindergarten graduation, the dance festival, Free dress (except for red shirts and jeans for the field trip), Field Day, a field trip, and the last day of school. For three of those days, they had the morning kids come with the afternoon kindergarteners. So we got to practice doing pick-up with the whole school. I decided to park down the street a little ways and let Ellie walk out to us. She loved the freedom, and Lynnie and Cece loved running around while waiting.

Here comes Ellie!

It's the last day of school!

After school, we dropped off some treats for our visiting teachees and got to play for a few minutes at Kimberlie's house. Lynnie was in heaven getting to drive their car.

I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them....I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ....When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance (see 1 Ne. 1:20).

David A. Bednar, “The Tender Mercies of the Lord,” Ensign, May 2005, 99

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I have been married to the most amazing man since 1994, and we have added three beautiful girls to our family through the miracle of adoption. Tender mercies abound in our lives, and I love to look for them and be grateful for our blessings.